Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 121
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release
अवहाय हरेर्नाम घोरसंसारभेषजम् । केनोपायेन लभ्येत मुक्तिः सर्वत्र दुर्लभा ॥ २१ ॥
avahāya harernāma ghorasaṃsārabheṣajam | kenopāyena labhyeta muktiḥ sarvatra durlabhā || 21 ||
If one casts aside the Name of Hari—the medicine for the dreadful disease of worldly existence—then by what means could liberation, so hard to obtain everywhere, ever be attained?
Sanatkumara (addressing Narada in the teaching dialogue on moksha through Hari-bhakti)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
The verse declares Hari-nāma as the direct remedy for the terror of saṃsāra; abandoning it leaves no effective means for attaining the otherwise rare goal of moksha.
It prioritizes devotion expressed as nāma-japa (remembering/chanting Hari’s name) as the most accessible and potent upāya, implying that bhakti is not secondary but central to liberation.
No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is sādhana-focused—regular recitation and remembrance of Hari-nāma as a disciplined spiritual practice.